


Assorted One-Shots

by Transient_Reality



Category: Persona 5, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Mostly just random one shots that come to my head tbh, Multi, Why are you interested if you are not me or Angel ok bye, why are you even here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-06-22 01:21:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15570624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Transient_Reality/pseuds/Transient_Reality
Summary: I sometimes have random ideas for one-shots involving myself and my friend in various universes, alternate universes and situations. That said, you likely will not find anything of interest here unless you are one of us.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AngelicAmal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelicAmal/gifts).



Gladion massaged the bridge of his nose.  
Tossing his pen away with a sigh and running a hand through his hair, he leaned back in his chair and found his pale green eyes trailing toward the window. It was beginning to grow dark, the shadows of the trees reaching toward the house like fingers. Clouds were clustering in the tropical sky above. Another storm was coming.  
Gladion found his eyes sweeping from the growing darkness in the window to the clock on the wall. He chuckled to himself. The clock was constructed to look like a Kanto Rattata, the tiny purple creature holding an Oran Berry in its arms. The side of the berry was flattened to show the face of the clock. The rat Pokemon's tail swept back and forth as the seconds passed, marking each with a soft 'tick' that was only easily ignored when one hadn't taken notice of it.  
He knew how his girlfriend adored the clock. She had a matching one, of Rattata's Alolan form, hanging on the wall in their dining room.  
The face of the Oran Berry showed that it was nearly 9 o clock. Gladion blinked and, with another sigh, he trailed his eyes to the window again.  
She was late, and a storm was coming. He wondered if he should go to her, find out if anything was wrong.  
It always _had_ bothered him, her staying in that forsaken town. Sure, she was protected by hordes of Pokemon and tall, nearly impenetrable walls, but suppose something _did_ manage to cross the walls and defeat the Pokemon?  
The idea of the kind of force that could do that brought Gladion to his feet. His sudden motion attracted the attention of the dog-like Pokemon curled in a small bed beside the door. The Pokemon had a white ruff around its neck and a tall, proud white crest upon its head. As Gladion moved, its ears pricked forward and it lifted its head with a soft shuffling sound. One claw-like front paw gripped the edge of the bed. The Silvally tilted its head at Gladion.  
"Sil," Gladion said, drawing a long black trenchcoat from a hook beside the door. "I'm going out. I want to make sure April's okay. There's a storm coming, and she's late. I shouldn't be gone long. Keep an eye on the baby, will you?"  
Silvally flicked an ear and turned its head to watch Gladion leave the study. As Gladion paced through the house, gathering his keys and a belt with a handful of Pokeballs attached, he gently pushed open the door to the bedroom he shared with his girlfriend.  
Resting in a corner was a small wooden box, standing on four sturdy wooden legs. The top of the box was open, and tiny flecks of straw could be seen sticking through the cracks in the wood and out the top of it.  
Gladion approached the box and peered down into it.  
Here was what he had meant by "baby."  
A small lime-green egg rested warmly in the straw, nestled with straw cradling it. There was a large oval shape upon the front of the egg, and four black diamond shapes spaced around it.  
It was a Larvitar egg. April had found it during a trek up the side of the mountain, in an abandoned nest. She had waited nearly an entire day for the mother to return to the nest, thinking perhaps she had simply wandered away to find food, but as the mother had never returned, April had taken it upon herself to carry the (rather heavy) egg down the side of the mountain and to the home she shared with Gladion.  
Gladion tapped the top of the egg with a single fingertip and it twitched a bit in its bed of straw. Not long now. He flipped the cover of the box closed and turned to see his Silvally standing in the doorway. He hadn't heard the soft _tack, tacking_ sound of the Pokemon's claws, deep as he was in thought about the egg. Gladion chuckled.  
"Good," he said, patting the Pokemon on the head as he passed it in the doorway. "Already doing your job, eh? Keep an eye on it while I'm gone, I won't be gone long."  
He reassured the Pokemon one last time before descending the stairs to the first floor and pushing the front door of the house open.  
The house he shared with April rested in the thick forest near the Lake of the Moon. It was a quiet, secluded place, being near such a revered spot and on the way to the largely abandoned Po Town, but that suited both April and Gladion fine.  
Not only were they largely solitary people by nature, and both very attuned to nature itself and the Pokemon thriving within it (they both found Pokemon to be better company than most humans), it was also the perfect place to be alone together. They could rest in the yard and gaze at the stars without light pollution or nuzzle close together in the garden without interruption.  
The house was built mostly to suit April's vision, which suited Gladion fine. She had constructed a little log cabin, a cozy little two-story home. Upon entering the green-painted front door, one was greeted with the sight of the den, a name that suited the room well. It had a snug, warm feeling to it, with polished wooden floors and thick, plushy emerald green rugs. The decorations were all Pokemon- and forest-themed, with canvases of forest flowers and frolicking Pokemon. A bronze statue of a Zoroark and a Silvally stood upon the mantle, a gift and the couple's prized possession.  
Immediately to the right of the den were the sturdy wooden stairs leading to the second floor. Behind them, in the rightmost corner of the room, lay the doorway to the dining room, and directly across from the front door was the doorway to the kitchen.  
The kitchen continued the warm, homey feeling, this time in shades of yellow. The curtains were yellow-and-white checked and the towels were all yellow. Even some of the appliances were yellow. The counters were all made of similar dark wood to the walls, with clean white marble countertops. Beneath the largest window in the room was the sink.  
The dining room was outfitted in crimson red, with a large red rug spread beneath the gleaming kitchen table. There were only two chairs at the table, but if talk continued as it had, Gladion knew there was the possibility of a third, much smaller, chair being added.  
It was here in this room where they shared their meals, their loyal Pokemon curled beside them upon the floor or sitting sentinel beside the table, hoping for handouts.  
Up the stairs, a hallway led to four rooms. One, on the immediate left, was the master bedroom the couple shared. Here, everything was a clean white and light purple: the bedsheets were soft purple, the curtains were white with light purple flowers, and vases of lilacs stood upon several surfaces. A dark violet rug was spread across the floor. Two Pokemon beds, one a deep red and the other white (Silvally had been laying upon the white one), rested on either side of the door. Gladion's desk was pushed against the wall furthest from the door and there were nightstands on either side of the bed. Much of the wall space was taken up with bookshelves. The leftmost wall featured a mirrored set of doors that led to their walk-in closet.  
Down the hall on the left was a smaller room. It was currently being used for storage, but they had other plans for it...down the road.  
Across from the storage room was a guest room, outfitted in light blue, with white sheets and blue blankets and light blue curtains on the windows. There was a large dresser for guests to store their things and a wardrobe made of the same dark wood. A light blue rug featuring Water Pokemon was spread upon the floor. This room was frequently used by a couple of Gladion and April's friends- Amal and her boyfriend Hau. They frequented the room so often, in fact, they sometimes didn't bother to remove their clothes from the dresser. It was understandable, however, as Gladion and April had a near-permanent set of clothing in their friends' home as well.  
Beside the guest bedroom was the modest bathroom, with a shower/tub combo, a spotless sink and toilet. Its door was directly across the hall from the top of the stairway.  
There were windows everywhere. April loved the natural light, so she had had windows installed just about everywhere Gladion would let her.  
There were also photos. Nearly every room, except the bathroom and guest room, had plenty of photos of the couple. With their Pokemon, on a boat, fishing, hiking, riding on the back of a Lapras, on the beach...they had made so many memories together in the two years they had lived here. Gladion smiled to himself as he tucked the key into the lock of the cabin and locked it snugly.  
He strode away from the home and down the cobbled walk that led to the main road of the route, his hands in his pockets. His eyes flicked to the skies. The clouds were growing even more ominous, and they seemed to cluster right over the direction he was heading. He wondered if it was raining in Po Town already and decided it probably was; it was nearly always raining in the abandoned town where his girlfriend held her Dark trial.

Pushing through the wooden doors leading into Po Town, Gladion grimaced a bit. He was right, it _was_ raining in the town, the droplets falling heavily upon the pavement. The cement was already dark, so it must have been raining for quite some time already. He ducked his head into his trenchcoat a bit and gazed down the main road of the town.  
Po was silent, except for the endless rustling sound of the rain colliding with the ground, soil, pavement and buildings of the town. Gladion searched the rooftops, seeing no sign of life.  
Somewhere, however, he heard the soft cry of a Murkrow. There they went.  
Sure enough, several other unseen Dark birds took up the cry, and it echoed through the town, stretching away into the distance. Then, nearly as quickly as it had started, it quieted and Gladion could hear the rain again.  
He imagined the birds, their shadowy wings tucked close to their bodies, eyes glinting watchfully under the brim of feathers on their foreheads, clustering in some unseen place and watching him as he began striding down the main road. The thought would have given him chills if he hadn't known the birds would never even consider harming him.

Gladion cast his light green eyes up at the cloudy sky. The sky was cluttered with clouds. It seemed this rain wouldn't let up any time soon, and the storm was imminent. With a sigh, he stepped forward, his steps pattering softly in puddles as he strode down the main strip of the quiet town.  
Gladion took note for not the first time how much neater and more serene the once-hive of Team Skull activity had become after April had swept in to reform the place. Working nearly single-handedly (save for the efforts of a few human friends, Gladion and several capable Pokemon), she had scrubbed the pavement raw, removing any trace of the rainbow graffiti that had once covered the walks. She had enlisted the help of nearby building companies featuring Pokemon like Machoke and Hariyama to help rebuild some of the nearby houses, filling in gaps in the walls and repairing holes in the roofs. She had cleaned litter and detritus leftover from Team Skull's stint in the town and had even planted beds of fresh grass, sapling trees and blooming flowers. She had had the electricity restored to the town and small streetlights glimmered like lemon candy along the main road. Where once Po Town was a symbol of shadows and pessimism, it now stood as a bright little spot on Ula'Ula, a little spot of hope.   
The occupants of the town were nearly exclusively Dark types. They seemed drawn to April wherever she went, and many had settled into the town shortly after she had established the residency of her kahuna trial here.   
The grasses, bushes and pavement were silent now, save for the pattering sound of the rain, but during dry times one could see Alolan Rattata scurrying between nests built in the abandoned houses. There was a handful of Alolan Meowth scampering about the town, led by a single proud Alolan Persian (who answered to April and April alone). Some other of April's favorites, such as tiny fluffy Zorua, battle-ready Scraggy, cheerful Sandile and even a solitary Stunky occupied various nests and dens in the surrounding houses, as well as the Murkrow, who roosted in the eaves of the houses and in the trees.  
Tucking his hands further into his pockets, Gladion traipsed past the houses toward the rather large mansion-like building at the end of the main road. Roofed with rusty red shingles and built with sturdy stone walls, the mansion provided a stunningly imposing visage. Potential challengers would be left shivering, Gladion mused as he strode right to the front door and inside the building.  
The interior of the mansion, once called the Shady House, continued the pattern of April's cleansing touch upon the town. Many of the walls on the ground floor, which had once enclosed quaint, modest storage rooms and a small living room, had been knocked down. There had once been a clutter of furniture piled in one of the halls. It had been cleared away entirely and the ratty, damaged carpet had been torn away.   
It had been replaced with a thick, luxurious violet carpet, which spread from one end of the room to the other and up the grand central staircase. In the area to the left of the room, where the walls had been knocked down, the remaining exterior walls had been remodeled to house massive wooden bookshelves stuffed with volumes in a multitude of colors. A massive window with a window bench had been constructed in the wall to the left, with tiny bookshelves placed even beneath the bench.   
In the center of the room, however, stood the main focus of the foyer.  
An elegant throne made of dark wood with a violet cushion stood in the center of the foyer, just to the left of the grand central staircase. Beside it sat an equally beautiful round Pokemon bed with a soft purple cushion. Both were occupied.  
The Pokemon bed housed a Pokemon with a long electric-purple mane, tied with a golden band on the end. Its body was a dark gray and it had a black ruff around its neck. It ruffled a bit at Gladion's entrance but remained sleeping as the hand of the woman in the throne stroked its mane.  
"Well well well," the woman said with a small smirk.  
She was in her early twenties, with shoulder-length dark brunette hair in loose, soft curls. Her sapphire eyes peered across the room at Gladion as she stroked the Zoroark in the bed beside her. She wore an elegant ballgown with a satin purple skirt. The bodice was purple as well, covered in a black lace with a single glistening black jewel at the center of the chest. The gown was strapless. She had her legs crossed and was peering down from the throne at Gladion while tapping a single purple-painted fingernail against her chin. She wore sparkling purple eyeshadow.  
He knew she wore this outfit purely for the Dark-type kahuna aesthetic, but Gladion couldn't help but think she looked just as beautiful in a sweatshirt and jeans.  
"I should have known when Honchkrow told me a shady-looking man had entered my town that it meant you," she said with a chuckle. She ceased petting the shiny Zoroark, which lifted its head and gazed toward Gladion thoughtfully. April smiled at Gladion.  
"Can I help you?" she said sweetly. "I can't imagine you're here to challenge me, though I wouldn't say no if you asked."  
Gladion removed his hands from his pockets and put them on his hips, nodding at her.   
"There's a storm gearing up outside," he nodded toward the windows. "I got worried when you weren't coming home."  
She glanced at the ceiling; there was a skylight there. She sighed.  
"So you're right."  
She pushed herself from the throne and beside her, the Zoroark rose to a sitting position and stretched, yawning.   
"I had one more challenger due today," she said, descending from the throne as the Zoroark, Isamu, trotted from his bed to follow her, "but I'll assume the weather kept them from coming. Oh well. They can reschedule."  
She approached Gladion, who reached to take her hands. She drew close to him, pressing her forehead to his. In the air between them, he could hear her every breath.  
"Thank you for worrying about me," she murmured.  
He closed his eyes and kissed her nose.  
"It's my job," he said. Then he chuckled. "Besides, you've done enough worrying about me, it's about time I repay the favor."  
She giggled, and he squeezed her hands and kissed her. He kissed her three times before they finally broke apart, hands still twined.  
"C'mon," he said. "Why don't you get changed and we can go home before the storm gets worse. It's already pouring sheets of rain out there."

That night, as she lay beside him, makeup removed, hair straight and still damp from her shower, mouth slightly agape in her sleep, he watched the way the moonlight cut a sliver across her shoulder and felt so in love with her it physically ached within him.  
She had never been anything but beautiful to him. From the moment he had met her, as a gruff eighteen-year-old boy who didn't know what he wanted in life, to now, she had always, _always_ believed in him.   
When others urged her to be wary of him, asking her if she was _absolutely certain_ she wanted to spend time in the company of an ex-Team-Skull member, to her learning about his mother and actually meeting her in person, to the moment he had kissed her, desperately, in the rain on the beach during their first official date and asked her to be his girlfriend, she had always been steadfastly beside him.   
He owed her, quite literally, his life. He wasn't sure where he would be without her, or even if he would exist at all. Ironically, though she spent much time in the darkness with her Dark Pokemon, she was his light.  
He leaned down, the moonlight painting the side of his face as he kissed her cheek. She murmured in her sleep and smiled. He ran a finger down her cheek and lowered himself to the bed again.   
He marveled, yet again, at his luck.


	2. AOT- Another Wedding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Eren x Amal Wedding.

Amal was awoken quite suddenly by a sharp rapping upon the front door downstairs. Groggy, she sat up and rubbed her eyes, gazing about her bedroom. It was a modest room, with clean tan walls and three large windows, through which the early morning sun was glistening. She had a honey-colored wardrobe set against the wall, upon which hung a massive white dress. Besides her bed, there was little else, besides a small bedside table and a bookshelf, overflowing with novels. The floor was wood, swept impeccably clean. 

"Amal!" 

Amal heard a voice calling her, both muffled through the walls of the small home she lived in and through the open window to her right. It was a familiar woman's voice. 

"April?" 

"Oh good, you're awake. Get moving, sleepyhead, we need to get your dress on." 

With a sigh, Amal ran a hand through her ruffled hair and lowered her legs over the edge of the bed. Pressing the flats of her feet to the floor, she lifted her tired frame from the bed and crossed the bedroom. She descended the rickety stairs of the small house and unlocked the front door. The moment she had, it flew open and she had to leap back. The door banged against the far wall. 

In the halo of sunlight shining upon her front step stood April, the head nurse. Her brunette hair was pulled into a tight ponytail and she had two boxes under her arms. She was dressed in a simple white button-up shirt that flared a bit at the bottom, hiding the small bumps of baby fat still hanging around her stomach, and brown pants. 

She looked Amal up and down and smiled. 

"Here," she said, plunking the boxes into Amal's arms. "Go put these in your bedroom and open them. Take a look at the makeup and stuff I have inside and see if there's anything you like. I'm going to draw you a bath." 

April's jovial friend pushed past her and began climbing the steps toward the bathroom on the second story, and Amal chuckled, shaking her head, as she nudged the front door shut with her hip. She should have expected April to take command this way. She had pledged to take Amal's special day seriously and keep everything running smoothly. 

Amal climbed the stairs again and set the boxes April had brought upon the sturdy bedside table. Pulling the sheets of the bed up and tucking them in, she smoothed them down and spread the boxes upon them. 

She flipped open one box as she heard small thunks and clunks from the bathroom down the hall. April was humming to herself as she worked. Amal smiled to herself as she began picking through the boxes. 

One box held various types of makeup. Soft colors of blush, light lipsticks and glosses and eyeshadows, all made of natural ingredients gathered from the newly inhabited lands beyond the walls, clustered within the first box. It all looked expensive, but that didn't surprise Amal. Between April's income and her husband's, they could easily afford such luxuries. 

April had never been outspoken about their moderate wealth. Whether this was due to modesty or to her aversion to anything remotely related to aristocracy because of her parents, Amal did not know, but she thought highly of her friend's lack of boastfulness. April was a good woman. 

Amal was not particularly keen on makeup, so she found she was a bit in over her head when asked to choose good colors for her face. She decided to leave the cosmetics for now and examine the other box. 

This box held various hair accessories. There were pins, headbands, barrettes, bows, and ties. Amal recognized the string of artificial red roses she herself had woven into her hair during April's wedding and was touched the young woman had kept them. 

"Anything you like?" 

Amal lifted her eyes to see April standing in the doorway, leaning against the wooden frame, eyes shining. 

"How are you so energetic this early in the morning?" Amal asked with a chuckle at April's perky attitude. 

"I'm a nurse," April said simply, shrugging as she pushed off of the door frame and crossed the bedroom. "I'm used to having to get up this early. Anything catch your eye?" 

Amal shook her head. 

"I think I'm a bit in over my head," she said with a chuckle. April shrugged. 

"Oh well, don't worry about it. I have a few ideas that might look nice. You go take a nice long bath while I sort some stuff out." 

Amal nodded and lifted herself from the bed. Before exiting the room, she turned and spoke softly over her shoulder. 

"April? Thank you." 

April, who was counting the pins in the hair box, nodded. 

 

Amal sank into the warm water, sighing as the steam curled around her. For the first time since the activity of April's arrival, it finally sank in, what was happening today. 

She felt a shiver run up and down her spine and pressed her fingers to the edges of the tub, squeezing her eyes shut, trying to relax. 

She had been planning for this day for weeks, months even. She had chosen colors, dresses, food, a cake, music, decorations, all with the purpose of making this day absolutely perfect, and now that it was finally here she felt as though she still hadn't done enough. 

What if she had chosen the wrong color? What if something didn't look right? What if the guests didn't have fun? What if the food didn't taste good? What if the music didn't sound good, what if she messed up her lines... 

Taking a deep breath and letting the trembles consume her body, she laid back and sighed, running a hand through her hair. 

"Relax," she murmured to herself. 

To make herself feel better, she ran over the day's schedule in her head. 

After dressing in her gown and getting her hair done, she had a brief appointment with the photographer. After that, it was to the chapel. Then there was the ceremony (the ceremony!) and following that, a small reception with a meal. Simple enough. 

Except it would be actually doing all of these things that was the hard part. 

 

When Amal had cleaned and dried herself, she dressed in a simple white dress and returned to the bedroom. April was humming to herself as she picked through several colors of blush, and the woman looked up when Amal entered the room, her blue eyes shining. 

"Welcome back," she said brightly. "You're just in time, Armin should be here any moment." 

"Armin?" 

"He's going to help you with your hair and makeup while I go make sure the guys haven't burned down my house," April said with a snort. "Now come here." 

Amal crossed the room and April held up two similarly-colored blush pads to her cheeks, clicking her tongue as she examined them. 

"I think we'll go with the darker one," she said thoughtfully, more to herself than to Amal. "Suits your skin tone more." She tossed the other blush back onto the pile and set the chosen one on the bedside table, alongside a small pile of hairpins and a few hair ties. 

"How are your sons doing?" 

"They're excited," April said, flicking through colors of lip gloss now. "I think it's more exciting for them that there's a prospect of you having a child in the future because that's what happened when Lev and I got married, but they're excited to be part of the ceremony too." April snorted. 

Her twin sons, Avery and Eren, small ebony-haired blue-eyed boys, were set to be the ring-bearers at the wedding, while April's tiny younger daughter, Rose, was the flower girl. 

"Where are they now?" Amal asked as April set three colors of lip gloss besides the other things on the bedside table and crossed the room to examine the wedding dress. 

"The boys are with Lev and Eren," April said, examining the dress and smoothing it, taking it down from its hanger and approaching Amal with it. "I dropped Rose off with Mikasa this morning before I came here, she's going to get Rosie into her dress and bring her to the photographer when we go there." 

The dress was a long, luxurious white with a tulle skirt. The center was tied with a violet satin ribbon and the top was a sheen white with silver jewels along the top. It was sleeveless. All through the skirt of the dress were dark purple butterflies, which coupled with the soft flare of the dress looked like they were rested upon the petals of a white lily. 

As April helped Amal step into the dress, there was another knock from downstairs and a soft voice called up the stairs. 

"April? Amal? I'm coming inside." 

It was Armin, the soft-spoken blonde-haired boy with large blue eyes. April lifted the bodice of the dress over Amal's chest and began tying the ribbons that fastened the back, calling out to the young man. 

"Come on up, Armin, I just got her into the dress." 

She stepped back and put her hands on her hips as Armin knocked softly and entered the room. Armin whistled. 

"Wow, you look beautiful, Amal," he said with a small reverent smile. He was dressed in a clean white cotton shirt and gray pants. 

Amal felt a soft warmth spread across her cheeks and she bowed her head. 

"Thank you, Armin." 

The dress seemed to have some sort of magical effect on Amal. As she gazed down at the tumbles of white fabric and clusters of butterflies in the dress and ran her fingers over the soft fabric, she felt like a princess. She physically felt her confidence and self-esteem rising, and she felt her shoulders rise and her back straighten with confidence. April seemed to notice and she winked at Amal with a proud smile. 

"Armin, I'm going to hand her over to you," she said, gesturing to the supplies she had chosen upon the bedside table. "I'm going to go check on my boys. You gonna be alright, Amal?" 

Amal nodded as Armin approached her, examining her from every angle with a trained eye. 

"You're gonna look great, sweetie," April said with a wink before exiting. 

 

After the brunette girl was gone, Armin had Amal sit on the bed with her face turned toward the window. 

"I think we'll do your hair first," he said, plucking through the supplies April had left, "that way it'll be out of your face when I do your makeup." 

Without further ado he went to work, pulling her freshly cleaned and dried hair back, brushing it until it shone, and going to work. He hummed softly, and between that and the smooth, steady rhythm of his gentle hands, Amal thought she could have been lulled to sleep. She had closed her eyes when Armin finally spoke. 

"You nervous?" He asked timidly, pulling her hair back and beginning to braid a few locks of it. 

Amal was about to nod when she remembered he was doing her hair. 

"Y-Yeah, a little." 

Armin made a soft understanding sound. 

"Hey, don't worry. Everyone gets nervous, I'm sure. Even April was, you saw, and she had everything planned out perfectly." 

"Y-Yes, but I can't help but think of all the bad things that could happen. What if something goes wrong, Armin? What if someone gets hurt or something doesn't work? Or what if people don't have fun, or-" 

Armin cut her off with a gentle tug on her hair. 

"Hey, hush now," he said, returning to gently braiding her hair. "Listen to me, okay? Nothing will go wrong that we can't take care of easily. Maybe that'll help settle you down a bit. The decorations were up yesterday already and they look marvelous. You and April have exquisite tastes, the venue looks beautiful and I think the guests will be blown away. The flowers are all positioned perfectly and they're just the colors you wanted. The chairs are set up and decorated the way you asked, the musicians are still on track to arrive on time. Everyone's still on track to come. The maid of honor is, as you saw, perfectly fine. The best man is too, as are the ring bearers and the flower girl. The cake has been completed since yesterday and is already on the way to the reception hall, closely monitored by Erwin. Everything's going to be fine." 

Amal took a deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling. 

"That helps a bit, thank you, Armin," she said, closing her eyes against the wave of tension gnawing at her skull. "I guess I'm just focusing so much on the bad things that could happen because I want everything to go well so badly." 

Armin nodded. 

"Well, just remember, it's your day," he said, carefully tying back one side of her braided hair, in the process of creating a T-braid. "Of course it's important that everyone has fun, but it's most important that you and Eren get married. Don't let your fear of what could go wrong keep you from enjoying yourself. Today is supposed to be fun. Relax and leave the worrying to your maid of honor, she's clearly on top of everything." 

He chuckled and tied back the other side of her hair, weaving the sides of the T-braid together. When he had them tied back, he stepped back and examined it closely before nodding. 

"There. Good. Now, let's do the makeup." 

 

Meanwhile, April was pushing open the door of her own house. 

"Oi, I'm back," she called, and there was instantly a scrabbling of claws across hardwood as the family dog, Scout, scrambled from the kitchen and down the hallway to greet her. 

"Hey, bubs," April said with a laugh, rubbing the dog's head as she gazed about. 

Scout was no longer a puppy, but you wouldn't have been able to guess that from the way he acted. The gray-and-white dog with long, straight fur, dappled with black spots, and bright blue eyes swished his tail back and forth as he followed her through the hallway leading from the front door. She heard thumps and voices upstairs, which must have been coming from the other men in the house. 

"Hi, mama." 

Avery, the younger of the twins, was seated at the kitchen table at the end of the hallway, kicking his little legs and eating dry cereal from a bowl. He was wearing the white shirt and black pants of his outfit for the wedding. His jacket and shoes must have been upstairs with the others. 

"Hey babe," April said, leaning down to kiss the boy on the top of his head and ruffling his hair. "Are daddy and the others upstairs?" 

Avery, the quieter twin, nodded and put a fistful of cereal in his mouth. 

"Yeah," he said with a mouth full. "Eren spilled water on his shirt." 

"I did not," the other twin, Eren, the older and more boisterous of the two, entered the kitchen and tugged on his mother's leg. April chuckled and lifted the little boy into her arms. She patted his cheeks. 

"Then what's this, little monster?" She asked, tickling a small wet spot on his chest. The little boy hid his face in her shoulder and she chuckled. 

"Hey, don't worry, Eren," she said, bouncing him a bit. "It's just water. Just be careful, okay? You gotta look nice for today." 

"Okay, mama." 

Still carrying the little black-haired boy, she exited the kitchen and began climbing the steps to the second story, where she could hear voices coming from the bedroom she shared with Levi. 

"You can't hide in there forever, kid," Levi's gruff voice was saying. "April's gonna kick your ass if you're not dressed in time." 

"Hey, watch your language, buddy," April said, entering the room with her son on her hip and gazing about the room. "You've got kids." 

"Sorry princess," Levi was leaning against the wall beside the large window in the room. He had been gazing out of it, but pushed from the wall and crossed to his family, kissing first his wife's cheek, then that of his elder son. 

April purred. "You clean up nice, Ackerman." 

Levi stepped back from her and held out his arms, turning in a slow circle. He was dressed in a sharp-looking black suit with a black tie. The jacket was casually hanging open but would be buttoned upon the start of the ceremony. His shining black shoes rested against the wall with two other much smaller pairs. The twins' jackets were hung upon the wardrobe in the room. 

The bedroom they shared was painted a soft blue. There was a large wardrobe made of dark wood, a smaller dark wood dresser, a large king-size bed with dark blue blankets, a massive airy window and a warm light blue rug spread across the wooden floor. A collage of photographs taken by a photographer from their wedding hung upon the wall. There was a large bookshelf against the wall beside the window. One of Scout's toys, a small green ball, was just visible beneath the bed. 

"Where's Eren?" April asked, setting her son Eren upon the bed and lovingly pinching his cheek. The boy giggled and squirmed. 

"Hiding in the bathroom," Levi nodded toward the door of the bedroom. "He was having trouble tying his tie so I told him to use the mirror in there." 

Levi's words said one thing but his eyes said another. 'He's afraid,' Levi's dark blue eyes communicated silently. April, who had become an expert at interpreting Levi's expressions, nodded. 

"Ah, okay," she said. "I'll check on him." 

Exiting the bedroom, she turned to the left and knocked on the thick door to the bathroom. 

"Eren?" She said softly. "Can I come in?" 

Eren's voice was slightly wobbly when he replied. "U-Uh, sure." 

She opened the door with a click and softened at the sight waiting for her. 

Eren was sitting on the toilet, head in his hands. He wore a slightly-ruffled-looking black tuxedo jacket over his white shirt. There was a dark purple tie hung around his neck, untied. He turned and gazed up at April with wide, nervous eyes as she lowered herself to kneel beside him with a supportive smile. 

"Hey bro," she said softly, reaching to touch his cheek. "You alright?" 

Eren shook his head and looked down again, head in his hands. 

"What's wrong?" 

"I-I'm worried, April," Eren said after a long moment. 

April nodded, not even needing Eren to say more, but he continued anyway. 

"I'm worried I won't be a good husband," he said quietly, his voice muffled in the space between them. April softened and began stroking her brother's hair, eyes tender. "I mean...think about it. What kind of husband will I even be? I'm...I'm hasty, I don't think before I take action, I rush into things without a moment of thought. It's always been a problem. What if...I'd hate to think this, but what if this is one of those times? What if I'm rushing into marriage with Amal too fast, what if I'm not prepared to take care of her like I should be, like I think I am? What if I can't be there for her the way she'll need me to be, the way I want to be? What if we don't actually work as husband and wife? What if..." 

He trailed off, burying his face in his hands and trembling, and she wrapped her arms around him, resting her cheek on his back. 

"Hey, kid." 

April didn't move as Levi's voice came from the doorway. 

"Levi, I don't really want-" 

"Just, listen, alright? Look. I get what you're dealing with right now. Something like this is terrifying. I had those same thoughts before my wedding. But you know something? I don't have all the answers. I still don't, not to my questions and not to yours. I don’t know the answers, but it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter, because the only thing that does matter is that if any of those things happen, if you feel any of those things, you and Amal are a team. And you'll work through them together. If things get rough, and they will, you'll have an eternal life partner there to help you out of them, out of those thoughts." 

"Marriage won't be easy, kid," Levi said, leaning down to kneel beside Eren and looking at him seriously. "But you gotta be brave, alright? And don't go pretending like you're not brave enough to handle it, because you and I both know that's bullsh-" He paused, seemingly remembering his son in the other room. "Crap. It's crap. You're one of the bravest people I know. You've been through the wringer, kid, you've seen hell. Compared to that, marriage is a walk in the park. If anyone can handle it, if I can handle it, you certainly can." 

Eren was silent for a moment before looking up at Levi with a small smile. 

"Are you saying I'm braver than you, Levi?" 

"Let's not get carried away with ourselves." 

Eren laughed, then softened. "Thanks, Levi." 

April patted Eren's back. 

"You ready to go, champ?" 

"Yeah. I can do this." 

 

Finally, the time had arrived. 

The chapel, a quaint little room with large windows set into the walls and securely bricked walls, was decorated with bushels of purple and white flowers. The flowers spilled over the altar at the front and were arranged in elegant white vases tied with purple satin bows along the center aisle. A long purple fabric stretched along the center aisle. The chairs were arranged in rows on either side of the aisle, covered with white covers tied with purple bows. 

The guests were already seated, murmuring softly amongst themselves as to the left of the party, a handful of musicians tuned their instruments. Violinists plucked at their strings, listening to them carefully. A flutist puffed softly at her flute. The pianist cracked his knuckles and picked carefully at the keys, shuffling the pages before him. 

There was an air of excitement in the room, almost palpable. In the front row, Amal's friends spoke animatedly amongst themselves. Armin, Sasha, Connie, Hange and even Jean sat comfortably, awaiting the beginning of the ceremony. 

Finally, the groom entered the room. His tuxedo securely buttoned and tie neatly tied (partially with thanks to his sister), Eren tried to appear confident as he strode down the center aisle toward his spot at the altar, but he felt his heart beating in his chest and his heartbeat in his fingertips. He even avoided the eyes of his friends in the front row as he took his spot, swallowing roughly and folding his hands. 

Once he had taken his spot, his eyes were drawn to the musicians, who had finally struck up a song. It was a soft, lulling tune, one he recognized from the rehearsal as the entry song for the wedding party. It was a short piece, as they did not have many party members. 

He turned his eyes back to the door at the center of the aisle as it clicked open. Eren's sister, April, her hair tied back into a sweetly curled ponytail, stood in the doorway, wearing an elegant violet dress with a white ribbon tied in the center. One of her hands held a small bouquet of white flowers, tied with a light purple ribbon, and the other arm was threaded through the arm of her husband, the best man, Levi. April smiled confidently as she strode down the aisle with Levi, winking at Eren when she took her place to the far right, leaving plenty of space for the bride. 

Next was little Rosie. 

The flower girl, and April's youngest child, Rosie was led down the aisle by Mikasa, who kept her walking. The tiny black-haired girl with her father's thin, dark blue eyes held a white basket over her arm and was dressed in a tiny purple dress to match her mother's. She dipped her hand into the basket and dropped purple and white petals around the aisle as she walked. When she reached the end of the aisle, she overturned the basket and poured the rest of the petals out at her mother's feet, which made April and the rest of those assembled chuckle softly. 

Mikasa led the tiny girl back to the pair of empty seats in the front row, situating her in the seat beside the older girl. 

Eren swallowed roughly. Now that everyone else was in place, it was time for the moment he had been anticipating all day. He turned his eyes back to the entrance of the room, heart pounding against his chest so violently he was certain everyone must have seen it, as the musicians started up the bride's entrance song. 

He took a deep breath and tried to relax his shoulders, edging them down so he wouldn't appear so rigid. April had advised him to keep his legs from locking up, or he'd get too rigid and hot and he might faint. He carefully allowed his nervous legs to relax. Then she arrived in the doorway and swept his breath away. 

He wasn't certain what part of her to gaze at first. Her hair, tied back in a T-braid with a row of small purple flowers laced into one side, or of course the dress, an elegant white number with small violet butterflies laced throughout the skirt. In the end, he chose to gaze at her eyes, which even from the distance between them he could imagine were a teary emerald green, a green he had admired for so long because it reminded him of the first time he had stepped into the land beyond the walls. 

In a way, Amal was like that, like a breath of fresh air beyond the walls, like a wide open space full of possibilities, like a future full of promise. She had always been his reason to fight, his reason to die if he needed to, and that hadn't changed after all this time. He straightened up, not out of nervousness this time, but out of excitement. He met her eyes as she strode down the aisle. 

Finally, she stood before him, her eyes not leaving his. She smiled softly as he reached to touch her cheek. Hange, standing behind the couple, began to speak. Eren didn't hear a word she said until Amal softened and smiled at him. Oh. It was his turn to speak. What was his line again? 

Oh right, his vows. His hands trembled as he reached to take Amal's hands. They had opted for spontaneous vows, much like what was done at the Ackerman wedding, because Eren and Amal both liked the idea of speaking from the heart more than reciting words on a page. Eren began. 

"Amal-" He cut off. His voice had cracked, but no one in the audience laughed or even chuckled, something he was silently thankful for. He started again. "Amal. When people used to ask me what I was fighting for, for a long time my answer was simply, 'humanity.' I wanted to save humanity as a whole, wanted to bring down the Titans and make them pay, wanted to protect people. But when I met you...my answer became more specific. I wanted to protect you, wanted to rid the world of any danger that might threaten you. You were the first one I thought about when I was asked for whom I was fighting, and I knew then that I wanted to protect the world because you were, and still are, my world. You're the one I can rest upon when life becomes too heavy to bear, the arms that hold me and let me rest when I'm tired, the last face I see at the end of the day before I go to sleep, and I never want that to change. I...I want to be by your side forever, want to continue fighting for you, fighting to protect you. I love you." 

As he spoke, he watched tears fleck into Amal's eyes and he wanted so badly to hold her, to dry those tears and kiss her forehead, to hold her close so they could forget the world the way they always did when they were within one another's arms, but she had to speak. 

"Eren," she spoke his name so gently and delicately, it felt as though she were stroking his face. "You are really the light of my life. You are the reason I can smile, the reason I can feel strong, the reason I have hope in the world and why I never stopped believing we would one day be safe. You are my inspiration. When everything else seemed bleak and dark, I only had to look into your eyes and I knew there was still hope, still light left in this world, even if it was hard to find at times. Your willpower, your strength, and determination, it was such an inspiration. I was, and continue to be, endlessly awed by you. Fascinated. When the world seemed to have given up on me, you hadn't, and for that, I thank you and I love you." 

Hange spoke again. 

"Now, the rings," she said softly, and the attendants at the doors opened them. 

Avery and Eren, dressed in their full suits with the jackets and shiny black shoes, holding tiny pillows, began to strut down the aisle. Amal caught April lift her head, her eyes shining with pride as her sons strode down the aisle. One glimmering silver ring glistened on each pillow. 

Avery paused before Amal, and Eren before his namesake, each holding the pillow up so the adults could take the rings upon them. As Amal placed the ring upon Eren's finger, she murmured. 

"With this ring, I thee wed." 

Eren took a deep breath and slid the ring upon Amal's finger, snugly beside the engagement ring. 

"With this ring, I thee wed." 

Hange, her eyes warm, spoke. 

"You take Amal as your wife?" 

"I do," he murmured softly, and he saw a soft, liquid warmth flow through Amal's eyes. He longed to press his forehead to hers the way he had so often, when they stood under the rustling trees in the fields outside the walls, when they were finally safe. He squeezed Amal's hands gently. 

"And Amal, you take Eren as your husband?" 

"I do." 

Hange spoke again, and Amal murmured the words, and there was something binding about them, but not a bad binding. A strong binding. Eren felt Amal hold his hands tightly. Hange spoke the words he had been waiting for. 

"Eren, you may kiss your wife." 

 

The music from the band flowed through the reception room. On the dancefloor, several guests were dancing. Amal, sitting at the front table and resting between dances, looked up as April joined her, setting a glass of water before the bride and one before herself. April sipped her water and gazed at the dancers, chuckling. 

On the dancefloor, Eren, the groom, was dancing with tiny Rosie, his large, warm hands holding hers. She was so small that he had to bend down to dance with her, but she was shaking her hips to the music. April softened at the smile on her brother's lips. 

"They're so cute," she said, setting down her glass and folding her arms. 

"Yeah," Amal said thoughtfully, watching them too. 

"Congrats," April said, nudging her friend with a small smirk. "Welcome to married life. Join the party." 

Amal chuckled, then softened a bit. 

"You really think it'll be okay, April?" 

"Ach," April waved off Amal's concern and smiled. "You'll be fine. You and Eren are precious together. Besides, look at that stud, who wouldn't love my brother?" She gestured to the dance floor, where Eren had swept his niece off her feet and was dancing with her resting upon his arm, holding her other arm up as though they were ballroom dancing. 

"And I don't mean to detract from your special day," April said, whispering and leaning toward the bride, "but there's this really hot guy who keeps staring at me." 

She nodded across the room, where Levi leaned against the wall, watching his wife speaking with the bride. Upon noticing them glancing his way, he lifted his glass of liquor and took a sip, winking. 

"April," Amal said with a laugh. "That's Levi. Your husband." 

"I don't know about that," April said, leaning forward and peering as though she didn't recognize Levi. "But I like the way he's looking at me. I might get laid tonight." She wiggled her eyebrows at Amal. 

"The kids staying somewhere else?" 

"With Armin." 

"Have fun," Amal said with a laugh as April rose to her feet and headed toward Levi. She watched her friend cross the room and snuggle up to her husband, who pressed his hand to her cheek and their foreheads together. Their love broke Amal's heart with its beauty. 

"Hey princess." 

Amal looked up as her husband (her husband!) dropped into the seat beside her and kissed her cheek. 

"Hey Eren," she playfully tightened his tie. "Rosie tire you out?" 

Eren was panting a bit. He ran his hand through his hair and chuckled. 

"Yeah. I let Hange take over, she's doing fine." 

He nodded toward the dance floor, where Hange was dancing in a circle with all three of the Ackerman children. Amal laughed. 

"Cute." 

Eren softened and gazed at his wife, touching her chin. 

"I love you." 

"I love you too, Eren." 

Eren leaned forward to kiss her neck tenderly, and Amal closed her eyes. Maybe the others were right. They were going to be fine.


	3. Flawless Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm obsessed with SERVAMP save me.

~Several Years Ago~

Diana, a rather short young woman with vivid brown eyes and wildly curly red hair, pushed through the glossy wooden door in the back of the restaurant. Her curls bouncing around her pleasant heart-shaped face, she carried two fistfuls of garbage bags to the dumpster in the back alley and heaved them easily inside. Rubbing her hands together, she turned from the dumpster and began to return to the restaurant when a soft noise made her stop.  
It was late December, and she thought for a moment the soft whining noise she had heard was nothing but the squealing of the wind through the bricks of the alley, but as she listened, the noise came again- a soft, pathetic mewling noise.   
Putting her hands on her hips, she gazed about until her eyes landed upon what must have been the culprit, resting in a small pile of snow clustered at the base of one of the buildings. Instantly, her shoulders fell and she slowly stepped toward the tiny creature, eyes softening as she approached.  
"Oh, hello sweetie," she said gently, kneeling down.  
It was a small black cat, so tiny it could easily have fit inside her cupped hands. It had ruffled fur and a long, thin tail with a tuft at the end. As she watched, it shifted a bit and kicked a leg, mewling pathetically again.  
"Did your mama leave you out here? Poor thing," Diana tutted, then glanced toward the door of the restaurant. Rising, she brushed off her pants.  
"Don't move, honey," she said to the kitten as she returned to the restaurant. "I'm going to get someone to help you."  
Moments later, another taller, slender figure with shoulder-length brunette hair and wide blue eyes appeared in the doorway. She exited the restaurant and gazed around until she spotted the kitten laying in the snow. Softening instantly just as Diana had, she knelt beside its tiny, broken form.  
"Well hello there, handsome," she said cheerfully. "Let's get you nice and warmed up, shall we?"  
Moving slowly so she wouldn't upset or frighten the kitten, April picked him up and cradled him against her chest. Instantly, the kitten curled into the warmth of her chest, its thin tail brushing against the fabric of her apron. She made a soft, loving _tsk_ noise.   
"Poor thing," she said, tickling under the kitten's chin as she kicked the door of the restaurant closed behind her and carried the kitten toward the open-faced oven that was heating the kitchen. "Aye, Amal, would you bring me some of that spare sliced beef and a couple end pieces of that fish you were cutting? This little guy must be starved."  
Across the kitchen, a dark-haired young woman with charming green eyes nodded.  
"You got it," she said, already moving to gather the food.   
Meanwhile, April lowered herself into a chair near the oven and swiped a thick towel from a nearby rack. She held it before the flames for a moment to warm it before laying it over her legs. Detaching the shivering kitten from her chest, she lowered him into the towel and pulled it snug around him. He let out a relaxed-sounding meow and curled his body into the towel, making April chuckle. She tickled him under the chin.  
"Hey baby," she cooed. "That's better, huh?"  
"Here you go," Amal said, bringing over a plate with the meats April had asked for. April balanced the plate on a counter and lifted a piece of shaved beef from it. She held it before the kitten, who sniffed it curiously for a moment before happily swallowing it.  
"He's so small," Amal said with wonder, eyes shining as she watched the restaurant owner feed the kitten. April nodded.  
"He's a good boy," April gently brushed her fingers over the kitten's ears.   
The cat suddenly lifted its head and gazed at April unblinkingly, his tail twitching as though he were deep in thought. Then after a moment he returned to his meal, adding the occasional lick on his savior's thumb as she fed him, as though thanking her.

"What are you going to do with him?"  
It was the next day, and Amal was watching April play fetch with the kitten on the bar. She would roll a small ball down the bar, and the kitten would run after the ball and return it with its chest thrust out, full of pride. April would tickle him under the chin for a moment before rolling the ball again.  
"I dunno," April said thoughtfully, watching the kitten trot down the bar again. "I mean, to be honest, the restaurant could use a mouser."  
The kitten seemed to stop at her statement and give her a look, almost of disgust, as though disbelieving she would ever ask him to do such a thing. It was such a look of distaste it made April laugh out loud.  
"I sometimes feel like he understands what I'm saying," she said, rubbing the kitten's back as he returned to her, butting his head against her arm. "He seems so smart. Oh, I just remembered, I got you something, bud."  
Reaching into her pocket as the kitten and Amal looked on in interest, April removed a small red ribbon, which she held up for the kitten to examine.   
"What do you think, bud?" she asked. "You wouldn't mind wearing this, would you, my little gentleman? Really would pretty you up."  
The kitten sat elegantly, wrapping his tail around his front paws. He lifted his head as though presenting his neck and stared straight at her. He had that look upon his face again, as though he fully understood what was going on. April shook her head in disbelief and began tying the ribbon around his neck.  
"You see what I mean?" she said to Amal as she worked. "It's weird."  
Amal chuckled.   
"I think you've been up too late watching anime," she said with a shrug. "He just looks like a normal cat to me. Don't they sometimes do weird stuff like that?"  
"I guess," April said, finishing tying the bow on the cat and tickling his chin again. "I've decided on a name for him too."  
"Oh yeah?"  
"Yeah. I think I'm gonna name him Crosse."

~Present Day~  
The tiny bell above the restaurant's front door chimed cheerfully as the group opened the door. Mahiru looked around as he entered.  
"Wow, Kuro," he said to the cat clinging to his shoulder. "You were right. This place _is_ really warm and welcoming."  
The walls of the restaurant were made of thick, honey-colored boards. The floors were glossy wood and elegant stained-glass lights hung from the ceiling. A bar made of dark wood with a pockmarked, but shining clean, surface wrapped around the right of the room. Wooden tables and chairs were strewn about the room and a massive brick fireplace stood at the far left wall. Behind the bar were shelves of bottles, shining in the light from the stained glass fixtures hanging from the ceiling. There weren't many people seated at the tables, but the woman behind the bar paused in wiping down the counter and put her hands on her hips as the group entered.  
"Well well well," she said with a lopsided smile. "Look what the cat dragged in."  
"Are you going to make that joke every time I come?" Mahiru jumped a bit as Kuro shifted into his human form at his shoulder, Kuro's hood pulled up over his wintry white hair. The girl at the counter laughed, her shoulders shaking in her minty green dress.  
She was pleasant, with shining brown hair that fell just below her shoulders and sparkling blue eyes. She tossed the cloth she had been using to wipe the bar below the counter and stepped out to lean on it, eyeing Kuro with a smile.  
"It's good to have you back, Crosse," she said, moving to wrap her arms around the vampire. Mahiru was surprised at how easily Kuro allowed her to embrace him, even patting her back a bit before she pulled away, still smiling.  
"It looks like you've brought some company," the girl said, noticing the others in the group. "Licht, Lawless, good to see you again."  
Mahiru was again shocked to see that Lawless had shifted from his hedgehog form and was standing in the doorway beside an on-edge-looking Licht with his hands in his pockets. He touched two fingers to his forehead in a sort of salute.   
"Tah, gorgeous," Lawless said with a wink. "How about a beer for your favorite vampire?"  
Mahiru blinked in surprise.   
"Lawless, shouldn't you-" He was cut off when Kuro nudged him.   
"Remember what I told you?" the servamp said. "This place is servamp-friendly."  
"Correction," the barkeep said, returning and handing a frothing mug to Lawless. "We're servamp friendly for the servamps who are friendly to _us._ Meaning mostly Crosse, and sometimes Lawless if he's a good boy."  
The girl ruffled Kuro's hair and Mahiru marveled. Who was this girl?  
"Mahiru," Kuro said as the girl drew her hand away. "This is April."  
"Charmed," April said, nodding to Mahiru.   
"This restaurant belongs to her," Kuro continued. "She also happens to have been the last eve I had before you."  
Mahiru gasped a bit in surprise. This sweet, pleasant girl had had a servamp before? And it was _Kuro_ of all people?  
April laughed softly at the surprise on Mahiru's face.   
"That's right," she said, gazing fondly at Kuro, who gave her a warm little smile in return. "That little runt was mine previously. Crosse showed up here one night in the dead of winter, cold, hungry and alone. Couldn't help but take him in, and the rest is history. Though, I suppose your name's not Crosse anymore, is it?"  
Kuro shook his head, wiggling his nose.  
"Name's Kuro now," he said, shrugging a bit.  
"Kuro," April seemed to roll the name around in her mouth for a bit, hands on her hips, before chuckling. "It's cute and it fits, but don't you think that's a bit _on the nose,_ kid?" She laughed good-naturedly.  
"I'm Mahiru," Mahiru bowed politely.  
"Mahiru. It's nice to meet you. You're Crosse's new eve, huh? You look like a good boy, I'm sure you'll take care of my baby. Come, first drink is on me." She winked. "Don't worry, I always stock non-alcoholic drinks."  
"She doesn't drink," Kuro explained as he lowered himself into a chair beside Mahiru at the bar.   
"Yup," April had her back to them as she mixed beverages. "I usually focus more on the cooking side and leave the bar to Diana and Amal, but Diana is out on maternity leave with her new baby and Amal-"  
Just at that moment, the front door banged open and dark-haired Amal burst in with plastic bags strewn over her arms.  
"-is apparently just getting back from getting supplies," April finished her statement as she slid a drink to Kuro and Mahiru. Mahiru took a drink of the vivid red liquid. It was some sort of sweet fruit punch. He could taste several types of berries, as well as subtle orange flavoring. He liked it. He took another long drink. Kuro had already drained his first glass.  
"Welcome back, Amal," April was saying, moving from behind the bar to take some of the bags. "Look who showed up!"  
"Crosse!" Amal beamed at the sight of the vampire. "Good to see you! April's been missing you lately, wondering when you were coming in."  
"What, you're telling me it wasn't _me_ she was looking forward to seeing?" Lawless said, leaning on the bar and sliding his empty mug toward April. "What do you say to another glass, babe?"  
"One, call me babe again and I'll crack your skull open with that mug. Two, I'll get you a glass of beer when you learn to say please."  
" _Please,_ darlin'."  
"You're lucky you're cute and you make me laugh."   
April slid another glass toward Lawless.  
"Amal."  
Licht approached Amal and, smiling softly, reached for her hand. Amal took his hand and he raised her fingers to his lips to kiss them softly. It was then that Mahiru remembered.  
"Licht, is this your fiancee?"  
The dark-haired boy turned to Mahiru, still holding Amal's hands, and nodded.   
"Yeah," he said softly. "I'm sorry you haven't met her before now."  
Mahiru smiled pleasantly.  
"I am now. It's nice to meet you, Amal."  
The pretty dark-haired girl smiled.  
"You as well. Licht's mentioned you before, he said you're his new friend. I think it's really sweet you reached out to him the way you did, and helped him when he was kidnapped. Thank you for saving him."  
"Yeah, heard you had a bit of a rough time," April said, nodding. "Lawless was telling me about it. Though the way _he_ told it, he was the one who did all the hard work." She eyed the blonde-haired vampire, squinting at him suspiciously.   
Lawless chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.  
"Alright, so I might have...embellished a little. Made the story more interesting, didn't it?"  
"You are insufferable."  
"Maybe, but I'm sexy as hell, right?"  
"You're lucky I make it a policy not to hit customers or I'd smack you right now."  
" _You didn't say no._ "  
Mahiru watched them interact, then leaned toward Kuro.   
"Do those two...like each other?"  
Kuro shrugged a shoulder, avoiding looking at the pair.  
"Probably. They're always like this."  
"One day they're either going to kill each other or bang each other," Amal said, sitting beside Licht at the bar, holding his hand, the ring on her finger shining in the light from the fixtures. "As far as I'm concerned, both things seem equally likely."

"Mind if I join you?"  
It was later that night. The summer moon was a silver disk in the sky. April was sitting upon the balcony of her apartment, which was the entire upper floor of the restaurant. She looked up from her tea to see Lawless, sitting at the edge of her roof, kicking his legs, glasses resting upon the bridge of his nose, scarf lightly buffeting in the wind. April nodded to the other chair.   
"Have a seat, pretty boy."  
Lawless leaped easily from the roof onto the balcony, then lowered himself into the chair, joining her in gazing up at the moon. The pair was silent for a moment before he spoke, his voice much more serious than the joking, flirty demeanor he had spoken to her with earlier.  
"I had a question."  
"Shoot."  
He turned his head to gaze at her, the moon reflected in his reddish eyes. His face was withdrawn, serious and almost sensitive-looking.   
"Your relationship with my older brother. Were you two... _have _you two ever..."  
April blinked at him, her eyes suddenly widening as she seemed to understand what he was asking.  
"Oh no," she said, shaking her head. "It's never been like that. Crosse...Kuro... _Sleepy Ash___ has been my greatest friend and confidant, but nothing more than that." She took a sip of her tea. Lawless didn't look convinced. She set her teacup down upon the saucer and smiled a bit. "Law, look." She leaned back and smiled knowingly at him. "There is no denying that Crosse is special to me. He came to me at a very dark time and helped me fight my worst enemy- myself. I felt as though I was trapped in a rut, doing the same thing in the same routine day after day. I had even lost the love for the restaurant business, and it was something I had dreamed of doing my whole life. It felt as though now that I had accomplished this, everything was done. My life was already finished, my goals accomplished, while I was still so young. I felt as though I didn't have anywhere else to go." She stared into her teacup, swishing around the last few drops as she thought. "And Crosse helped me see that wasn't true. Sure, things weren't always great. We viewed life differently, even then. But he was the friend I needed. He helped me not feel so alone."  
She looked up from the teacup to look at Lawless seriously.  
"But I don't love him like that. I don't think I ever could. He's too close to me, he's a part of my soul. Loving him is like loving myself, healthy and necessary, and entirely unromantic. Does that answer your question?"  
Lawless tapped his finger on his arm and nodded, his eyes serious, but with a touch of softness behind them.  
"Yes. Thank you."  
There was silence again before she spoke.  
"Since I've answered your serious question," she said, finishing her tea and setting the cup aside, leaning forward, "I think it's only fair you answer one of mine."  
"Fire away. I've got no secrets I can keep from you, doll."  
She tapped her finger thoughtfully on the surface of the table.  
"Is it true you kill your eves?"  
Lawless looked at her intensely.  
"Did Ash tell you that?"  
"I heard it here and there. Doesn't really matter where I heard it from, if it's the truth."  
"Would you think less of me if it were true?"  
She let the question ring in the air for a moment, considering.  
"Let me put it this way," she said softly, and for a moment he was dazzled by how soft and fragile she seemed. "I have never been afraid of you. Even if I'm not your eve."  
Lawless's shoulders lowered and he put his face in his hands.  
"Dammit. Shut up."  
"Excuse me?"  
"Shut up. You sound just like her."  
"Like who?"  
Lawless was silent, his shoulders shaking. April reached out to gently touch his hands. He flinched from the touch but allowed her fingers to remain on his hands.   
"Lawless," she said tenderly. "Tell me. Like who?"  
He slowly split his fingers so he was gazing at her through them. Then, lowering the hand she was touching, he wrapped his hand around hers and held her securely, stroking her skin with his thumb.  
"A woman I loved a long, long time ago," he said, and she softened.  
"What was she like?"  
"Beautiful." There were tears in his eyes. "Kind. Gentle. She valued peace above all else." He sighed. "And in the end, that was what did her in. Her foolish love and desire for peace."  
April watched Lawless, not moving her hand from his touch. He continued stroking her hand for a bit while he seemed lost in thought. She didn't break his concentration, watching the tiny flecks of tears in his eyes.   
"She was a princess," he said, his voice nearly a whisper now. "Falling in love with her was really a stupid move on my part. She never could have been with me, never would have run away with me. Not when she had a kingdom she loved so much and...not when there was a prince for her. I was not that prince."  
He suddenly gripped her hand tightly, and she flinched, but refused to remove her hand.   
"After their marriage," he said, loosening his grip as he realized he had hurt her and returning to rubbing her skin gently with his thumb, "her kingdom attacked his. His kingdom, obviously, wanted a way to retaliate, so they threatened to kill her. She agreed...in the hopes it would bring about the peace she so craved."  
He released April's hand and buried his face in his hands, letting out a dry sob. She slowly stood and moved beside him. She lowered herself to wrap her arms around him, resting her face in his neck. He didn't stop her, didn't even move from her embrace.  
"It's kind of amazing to me, how much you're like her," he said. "Sometimes...I'll admit, sometimes I might mix you two up. I hate myself for it, hate myself for being weak. I'm a vampire, dammit!"  
He said these last words loudly, and she jumped a bit.   
"Sorry," he said, softening and leaning into her embrace again. "But it's true. I'm a vampire. I shouldn't give in to emotions like this, that's for you humans to do. But I'll admit it. I miss her. Especially around you." He lifted his head and glared at her, tears still hanging in his eyes. "I hate you sometimes, you know. For being just like her."  
She softened, not from hurt for herself, but more out of hurt for him.  
Reaching out, she gently began stroking his hair. He closed his eyes and allowed her the touch, sighing.  
"It's a mistake," he mumbled as she touched him.  
"Maybe," she finally spoke. "But for the record, even though you're a bit of a crazy bastard, I still think you're beautiful."  
She kissed his forehead.


	4. Snowdrops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He'd go to the ends of the Earth. (Julian x Amal)

Looking dejected, Julian slid his eyes along the swirling curls of his hair as his head rested upon the surface of the bar. He could feel the glossy-but-uneven wood grain beneath his temple as his heartbeat lightly bumped against it on an even, steady beat. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the bar cool his flushed skin and the beating of his own heart lull him into a dreamlike state.  
His stormy-sky eyes flicked open, however, as the tiny bell above the door of Amal's restaurant chimed. In came a ruffle-haired young man with a red scarf tied around his shoulders and a golden band around his neck. His violet eyes searched the room and alighted upon Julian, upon which he smiled a bit and crossed the rough wooden planks of the floor to him. The planks wheezed a bit, even under Asra's light footsteps.  
Julian didn't lift his head as Asra sat beside him with a ruffle of fabric, sliding the satchel from his side and plopping it upon the bar. An elegant silver snake with curious eyes rose from the bag and flicked her tongue toward Julian.  
"What's the matter, Julian?" Asra asked as Faust slid from the bag and coiled up Asra's arm, settling herself around his shoulders and watching Julian with bright eyes.  
Julian puffed air through his bangs. His dark cinnamon hair ruffled a bit.  
"Soulsbond Day is coming up," Julian murmured.   
At this, Asra threw his head back and laughed.  
"Is _that_ what you're being so dramatic about?" he asked, his eyes bright and sparkling. "Soulsbond? What are you so upset about? It's not like you don't have someone to share it with. Even _I_ do this year."  
"That's the problem," Julian said, finally lifting his head from the bar and puffing more air through his bangs. "I haven't had anyone to share Soulsbond with the other years, so I haven't given a single care about it or how to celebrate it. Now that I do have someone...I have no idea what to do. I want to make the day really special for her, make it something she won't ever forget, something to express to her just how much I love her and care for her, you know?"  
Asra was nodding along with Julian's words, his face understanding.   
"I do know," he said with a hum. "I went through the same thoughts."  
"Yeah?" Julian's eyes lit with hope. "Have you decided what you're going to do?"  
By means of answer, Asra reached for his satchel and began pawing through it until he found what he was looking for and removed it. Julian's eyebrows shot up.   
It was a fine amulet with a silver band. The charm on the end was a large crystal that shone in rainbow colors when it caught the light.  
"A Unity Stone," Asra answered Julian's questioning glance. He turned the stone over and smiled gently at it, running his thumb over it. "It's a minor enchantment. When she wears it and presses her fingers to it, no matter where she is, she'll feel my heartbeat."  
Julian gaped.   
"See? That's incredible," he said, nodding to the stone as Asra slid it back into his satchel. "But I don't have a _clue_ what I can do. I want it to be something meaningful like that, but I'm stumped."  
Asra examined the distressed young man for a moment before reaching into his bag again.  
"If you're going to pull out another enchanted stone for your girlfriend-"  
"No, you drama queen."  
Asra pulled out a book and set it upon the table, beginning to page through it. Julian watched him as he slowed in his skimming and finally slid the book across the table to the doctor.  
"Here," the fluffy-haired man said, tapping his finger on a map. Julian leaned over it, squinting to read the small writing.  
Asra was tapping his finger on the illustration of a mountain range not far from the city.   
"Okay, what about it?"  
"Haven't you heard about the flowers that grow there?"  
Julian gave Asra a blank look. The other man sighed and flipped the book shut.  
"There are flowers that grow on the very tops of the mountains, where the snow is deepest. They have petals that are silver as moonlight, and at the very center is a single precious gem, usually a diamond. They thrive on the cool, clean water from snowmelt," he said, returning the book to his bag. "I'm surprised you never heard about them during your travels, they'd be very valuable. No one's ever come back with one, only with stories of the ones they've seen. Most people are skeptical if they even exist."  
"You think I should go get one for Amal?"  
"I do. Even if it's not the flower itself she wants, the fact you would go through the trouble alone to get one and bring it back to her would more than suffice as a token of your affection for her," Asra said with a nod of conviction.

_Damn magician,_ Julian thought as he stomped through snow nearly to his knees. _I would have asked if you had any other ideas had I known when you said top of the mountain that you meant **top of the damn mountain.**_  
He paused for a moment and turned his face skyward, immediately receiving a mouthful of snowflakes. He spat them out and gazed toward the sky again. It was amazing how crystal clear the stars were here. For a moment, he wished Amal were here with him so he could point out the constellations he had learned during all his travels. She would marvel at the beauty of the stars and he would marvel at her beauty in turn.  
He ran a hand through his hair and traveled on, his boots crunching in the snow.   
_She's probably finishing dinner right about now,_ he thought, suddenly feeling the phantom warmth and comfort of the restaurant, the fire blazing in the hearth, a pot of stew upon the table, his son upon his lap. _I hope Jack eats his vegetables._  
He pushed through a thin barrier of prickly needles and suddenly, the gusts that had been whipping around him, throwing snow in curling tendrils around his thickly bundled form, ceased. All was silence and tranquility, so abruptly he was almost worried he had gone deaf or died.  
But no, he could still feel his heart beating in his chest.  
The clearing he had entered seemed removed from time, as though it existed in a world all its own. It was serene here, the snow in gently draping drifts that fell halfway up his knees. There was no wind, no snow fell from the sky or trees, as though time itself had frozen. It was a clear, dry, cold, an invigorating cold that seeped into his lungs, bones and muscles. He looked up. Even the stars seemed brighter here.  
As he stepped further into the clearing, the true nature of the clearing was revealed to him.   
He stopped abruptly, his mouth popping open a bit in surprise.  
What he had thought to be the moonlight reflecting from the snowdrifts was actually revealed to be a blanket of flower petals. Their petals were as silver as moonlight or mercury, and they swayed gently, sending gentle flashes over their outstretched petals. Within each flower, he could see the tiny flashy specks of precious gems. Most had the snowflake-like qualities of diamonds, but he could see emeralds, rubies and sapphires in some as well.  
The snow beneath him crackled softly as he approached the field, casting his eyes over the scene. If he wasn't so certain magic existed, he thought, this would be enough to make him believe.   
Julian stood, stunned by the sight of the blossoms, until he remembered why he had come. He reached a trembling hand down to pluck a diamond bloom before pausing. After a moment's hesitation, he straightened, cast one last look at the field of flowers, turned and strode from the clearing without plucking a single perfect one.

"Julian."  
As Julian shouldered his way into the restaurant through the front door, he smiled.   
"Amal."  
He took his wife into his arms and held her against him warmly, feeling her tender form press into him. He rubbed her back gently, pressing his face into her neck and smiling. She smelled so warm and familiar. Her warmth, smell and voice finally chased away the last of the chill that had been hanging like icicles from his bones since he had left the top of the mountain.  
"I was worried you weren't going to make it back in time for the end of Soulsbond," Amal said, breaking from the embrace and smiling at him, her verdant eyes bright as she slid them down his form. "You didn't do anything too dangerous, did you?'  
Julian chuckled.   
"Me? Dangerous?" he said, acting offended. "I assure you, I never do _anything_ dangerous." He winked.  
Softening, he reached into the bag at his side.   
"I wanted to get you something perfect for Soulsbond," he said, rummaging through the bag as Amal bustled to the kitchen at the back of the bar to fix him a bowl of soup for dinner. He followed her.   
"Where is Jack?"  
"Asleep," Amal said, pouring a thick, creamy potato soup into a heavy wooden bowl and setting it near him, pausing to rub his arm a bit. "He conked right out after he ate a bowl of soup. Spent too much time playing in the snow today, I think."  
Julian laughed and kissed her temple.   
"I brought him this," he said, pulling a small cloth doll from his bag. It was hand-stitched, a small cloth boy with a stitched grin and simple brown clothes. "I picked it up at a stall on the way back. It's blessed with a warmth enchantment. He can hug it and it'll make him feel warm inside and out." He set the doll on the table.  
"I'm sure he'll love it." Julian noted the unspoken question in Amal's voice.  
"Yes, I got you something as well," he said with a laugh, taking a long draught of the soup before reaching into his pack again. He paused. "I was going to get you a Snowdrop." He looked up at her. She blinked.  
"You mean the flowers with the diamonds at the center?" she asked, amazed. "No one's ever picked one."  
Julian nodded and returned to rummaging through his bag.   
"I saw them," he said, nonchalantly. "And believe me. I...I can see why no one has the heart to pick them."  
Finally, he removed what he had been searching for. Removing it from the sack, he set it upon the table.   
It was a small wooden box with a slit in the center. A golden winding key was attached to the back. Julian nodded to it, eyeing his wife.  
"Go ahead."  
Tilting her head questioningly, she lifted the box and turned the key a few times, winding the mechanics of whatever was inside. With a glance at her husband, who was watching with a small smile, she opened the box.  
A tiny tinkling tune began playing from the music box. Inside, the top of the box was mirrored, reflecting Amal's enchanted face as she watched.   
Inside the main part of the box was a flower carved from clear crystal. The petals of the crystal glowed in soft colors to the beat of the music notes plunking from inside the box. The petals glowed soft pink, yellow, blue, green and purple in time with the music.   
Julian watched, his face soft, as his wife watched the flower, her eyes sparkling.  
"I thought if I couldn't bring back a Snowdrop," Julian's voice was soft and warm. "I'd bright back a different flower that could bring you just as much joy."  
"Oh Julian, I love it."  
Julian brushed her hair from her forehead and kissed her skin warmly.  
"I love you."


End file.
